This fresh and hearty salad contains tender baby potatoes, green beans, tuna, boiled eggs, and olives tossed in a light and bright vinaigrette. It’s a beautifully flavorful dish that works as a summer lunch or light dinner. It is both impressive and easy. Most of this salad can be prepped in advance making for an easy meal.
What is Niçoise salad?
Created in the French city of Nice, a ‘salade Nicoise’ (NEE-SWAZ) showcases seasonal and local ingredients, but they almost always contain eggs, olives, fish, beans, tomatoes, and potatoes drizzled in a tangy vinaigrette.
A Fresh and Hearty Salad
While this salad has a fancy sounding name, Nicoise salad is actually easy to make. Prep ahead! Cook the eggs and potatoes a day ahead and prep the dressing so they are extra chilled and ready to assemble just before serving. This salad is hearty enough for a full meal. Niçoise salad is a fresh and healthy meal that should be enjoyed ‘al fresco’ (outdoors) with a chilled glass of white wine and a fresh baguette.
What’s in Niçoise Salad?
Greens – Romaine is crisp, crunchy, and holds up well with heavier ingredients. Use it alone or add arugula or mixed baby greens for additional texture. Tuna – I use canned tuna since it’s what I most often have on hand but you can sear fresh tuna steaks to slice and add to this salad. Swap the tuna for other proteins like baby shrimp or strips of grilled chicken. Veggies – Colorful and filling veggies like green beans, tomatoes, and potatoes make this salad unforgettable. Other Additions – Hard-boiled eggs are a must in a classic Nicoise (I cook mine so the yolks are a bit jammy). Olives and capers add a salty briny flavor. Dressing – This simple vinaigrette is made with red wine vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, and just a handful of seasonings. The ingredients can be subbed (different kinds of vinegar and oils) but keep the amounts the same to hold the dressing together. If you’d prefer, a lemon vinaigrette is great in this recipe.
How to Make Niçoise Salad
Make a fancy salad for dinner tonight!
Storing Salad
Keep leftover salad niçoise ingredients from the lettuce in a separate container for up to 2 days. Leftover dressing will last about 7 days in the refrigerator. For best results, build a new salad with fresh lettuce and dressing.
More Salad Recipes
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